With a number of top ten hits under his belt, including a few number ones, and regular appearances on every TV show under the sun, Olly Murs has found himself as one of the more successful acts to have come out of the X Factor.
He’s certainly done better than a lot of the eventual winners. Hits like Heart Skips a Beat, Dance with me Tonight and Troublemaker pull in fans of all ages.
X Factor seeks to be cross-generational TV and Olly Murs embodies that perfectly. The occasional presenter has been carving out his pop career for nearly a decade now teaming up with the likes of Flo Rida, Demi Lovato and Rizzle Kicks along the way.

Olly Murs plays the SSE Hydro in Glasgow on May 3-4.

GODS OF RAP

A rare opportunity to see three of the biggest names in rap in one night. Wu-Tang Clan, Public Enemy and De La Soul play at the Hydro this spring. The legends have contributed keystone songs to the world of hip-hop. Among their biggest hits are Wu-Tang’s Gravel Pit, Public Enemy’s Fight the Power and De La Soul’s Me Myself and I. Politically charged lyrics, innovative production, artistic sampling and fierce performances have seen many artists imitate, but fail to match, these three obelisks of hip-hop music. Any heroes of hip-hop today owe their success to these guys.

Gods of Rap play The SSE Hydro in Glasgow on May 12.

FLAMINGODS

Hailing from London and Bahrain, Flamingods sound is both exactly what you would expect and completely unpredictable. There is no shortage of drums and sitars that leave you in no doubt that the band have picked up instruments and musical styles from around the world. There is a huge wave of psychedelia sweeping over everything that the band does. Kamal Rasool’s vocals are as much chanting as singing and only add to the swirling, middle-eastern soundscape.

With the band’s sound being so experimental, it is difficult to judge the crowd that will attend. An unlikely mix of an audience can sometimes bring the most interesting atmosphere and along with the psychedelic music, the night is assured to bring on good vibes.

Flamingods play Broadcast in Glasgow on May 16.

RITA ORA

Having worked with some of the biggest names in pop, EDM and hip-hop, Rita Ora is a mainstay in the charts and plenty of house party playlists. Her breakthrough performance came on DJ Fresh’s Hot Right Now, which, believe it or not, came out way back in 2012.

Since then, she has supported Coldplay on tour, appeared in Jay-Z and Drake videos and released Girls featuring Cardi B, Charli XCX and Bebe Rexha. Despite her obvious hunger for fame and featuring in some hit songs and hanging around with some huge names, Rita herself hasn’t quite broken into the A-list of pop performers.